LeAnn Carl, 76, of Lenexa, Kansas, passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday, January 19, 2023. LeAnn was born on April 27, 1946, in Omaha, Nebraska, the second daughter of Harold Noel Childress and Dorothy Jean Dye Childress When she was six, the family moved from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Gorin, Missouri, where she attended grade school and high school. She was active in Methodist Youth Fellowship, band, chorus, track, basketball, and 4-H.
In 1961, her dad built and opened Memphis Lanes in Memphis, Missouri. The next year, the family moved to Memphis, where she attended Memphis High School for her Junior and Senior years, graduating in the Class of 1964. She played snare and timpani drums in the marching and concert bands and was awarded the John Phillip Sousa award. She was active in several sports, excelling as a point guard on the Memphis Tigers girls’ basketball team by averaging 22 points per game. In every game, she doggedly ‘drove the basket’ and won a $5.00 bet with her dad that she couldn’t get five charging fouls and foul out.
In 1965, LeAnn graduated from Gem City Business College in Quincy, Illinois. She married Byron William “Bill” Carl on October 9, 1965 (m. 1965-1985) and they moved to Springfield, Missouri where her two children were born – daughter, Kimberly and son, Kevin.
She was a proud, stay-at-home mom raising her children and shuttling between ballgames and track meets at Logan-Rogersville High School in Rogersville, Missouri, never missing an event.
She held positions with Kelly Temporary Services, before becoming Medical Staff Secretary at St. John’s Regional Health Center, Springfield, Missouri from 1985-1990.
In 1990, she moved to Kansas City to be closer to her daughter and sister, Mickey. From 1990-1997, she worked at Bethany Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, as Medical Staff Coordinator in the medical staff office, where she became well known and loved by the physicians and staff. She held the designation Certified Medical Staff Coordinator from 1991-2006.
In 1997, she was hired by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), Leawood, Kansas, to fill the new role of Manager, Annual Clinical Focus in the Education Division. She loved the Academy and the opportunity for travel and building lifelong friendships.
After departing AAFP in 2008, she was recruited by the Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, to the position of Medical Staff Coordinator, where she worked from 2009 – 2013. She was a valued asset to the team, with extensive background in preparing for the hospital’s in depth review by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
Since her retirement, she has actively served in a variety of roles in the Millcreek Run homes association, helping fellow residents and preserving the townhome complex for future generations.
LeAnn was full of life, making many friends over the years. She was known as the person that kept in touch with everyone – family and friends – always with a cheery hello.
Family and sports were her passion – whether cheering at a grandchild’s track meet, swim meet, ballgame, concert or sitting on her couch watching the Chiefs or the KU Jayhawks – she was an avid fan.
She took on the role of family historian – pouring through boxes and boxes of precious family photos and memorabilia – culminating in over 30 binders on both the Dye/Slocum and Childress/Fryrear sides of the family.
Music surrounded her life. Favorite memories include dancing the Jitterbug and Rock & Roll with Uncle Larry and her Dad and teaching the Gorin Boys how to dance. She loved songs with a Boogie Woogie beat and, most important, singing four-part harmony with her sisters.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Dorothy Childress of Memphis, Missouri; great-niece Alexis Lee; aunt Josephine Dye Delaney (Virgil); uncle Wayne Dye (Pat); aunt Betty Lou Childress Frogge (Vernon); and uncle Jerry Childress (Minnie).
She is survived by her children, Kim Carl Letcher (Mike Letcher) of Platte City, MO and her son, Kevin Carl (Lori Carl) of Lihue (Kauai) HI, along with her loving grandchildren Jackson and Benjamin Letcher, Riley and Taylor Carl, and her granddog Ava; her sisters Linda Childress Kapfer (Gary) of Scottsdale, AZ; Candice “Candy” Childress Humes (Mark) of Wyaconda, MO; and Michella “Mickey” Childress Schaefer (Mark) of Scottsdale, AZ; her uncle Larry Childress (Sharon) of Brashear, MO; and her nieces and nephews, Kolette Kapfer Abel (Pat) of Phoenix, AZ; Heidi Kapfer Harazin (Michael) of Peoria, AZ; Chris Hull (Debbie) of Ellsinore, MO; Ken Hull (Michella) of Memphis, MO; Casey Hull (Holly) of Leawood, KS; and Jessica Humes Lee (Kenny) of Weatherby, MO; great-nieces and nephews along with a host of family and friends.
Her request was to not mourn her passing, but to celebrate, therefore, two celebrations will be held in her honor, in both Kansas City (February 18) and at Memphis, MO (Spring date TBD).
The first Celebration of Life is scheduled for Saturday, February 18, location TBD, from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m., with remarks from family members starting at 2:30 p.m. A Memories Box will be available for those desiring to leave a written memory or photo. For complete details and updates go to: https://www.mykeeper.com/event/celebration-of-life204/
The family requests no flowers. Memorials may be designated to one of the following:
Slocum Cemetery (Greensburg, MO)
PC Running Club (Platte City, MO)
Kauai High School Athletics (Lihue, Kauai, HI)
Please make checks payable in the name of the organization of your choice and mail to:
Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, KS 66215